


Replacement

by eliotandq



Series: I Can Do This All Day [oneshots] [12]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies)
Genre: Insecure Peter Parker, Jealous Peter Parker, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Tony Stark is Good With Kids
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-04
Updated: 2020-08-04
Packaged: 2021-03-06 06:14:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,398
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25708765
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eliotandq/pseuds/eliotandq
Summary: There is this Harley guy. And Peter don't know how to take that.
Relationships: Harley Keener & Tony Stark, Peter Parker & Morgan Stark (Marvel Cinematic Universe), Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Series: I Can Do This All Day [oneshots] [12]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2101083
Comments: 2
Kudos: 89





	Replacement

Things went relatively well. Everyone was back. Mr. Stark recovered from the snap and learned to use the prosthesis fully. He also had a little daughter now, who was Peter's eternal reminder that he had been gone for five years. But he still didn't miss a single opportunity to spend time with her. She looked like a small copy of Tony, but she was all after Pepper. Peter enjoyed spending time with her. Morgan called him an older brother and he liked that a lot. He always wanted siblings. And he thought of Tony as his father's figure even before the first snap. Of course, he didn't tell that anyone.

So yes, things went relatively well, considering that a few months ago, half of humanity was not alive, including Peter, and Mr. Stark almost died. It wasn't until a month after he started going to school again that his bubble of happiness burst. It was the weekend and Peter had come to the lake house, as he had been in the habit for the last few months. May had free weekends and could spend more time with Happy, with whom she began to date, and he could spend time with his newly found family.

At first, nothing was different. With a smile on her face, Morgan ran out of the house to greet him. He took her in his arms as always and continued inside, where Mr. Stark was usually waiting for him, while Mrs. Stark was on her way home from work.

But today was something different. He could already from the outside hear how Mr. Stark is talking. And he also heard a heartbeat he didn't know. And then he finally reached the living room, where he found Tony sitting on the couch with a boy who might have been only a few years older than Peter.

"Peter! Come here, this is Harley, I wanted to introduce you a long time ago, but there was no opportunity yet. He helped me a lot with time travel. He finally decided to honor us with a visit on his way to MIT," Tony said with a smile when he noticed Peter.

And Peter stood still, as if his feet had grown to the ground, Morgan still in his arms.

"Nice to meet you. Tony talked a lot about you," Harley said, giving him a look.

_Tony._

_He helped me a lot with time travel._

_On his way to MIT._

He was gone for five years and Mr. Stark, meanwhile, managed to find someone else. Someone who is much better than him.

"Nice to meet you too," he muttered politely, finally putting Morgan on the ground. "I- I have some homework that needs to be done," he told them and hurried to his room. The thought of whether Harley had a room here immediately popped up in his head.

Was Harley referred to as Morgan's older brother too? Was something special on him?

Peter hated his thoughts. He climbed out the window and sat down on the roof, where he could concentrate on the sounds of the forest to displace any conversation that took place in the living room. He didn't want to hear Mr. Stark talking with Harley.

Once again, he felt like he was no longer needed.

He was replaced by someone better.

•••

"Honey, you have a visitor. I'm going out with Happy, alright?" May shouted at him outside the door but didn't try to go inside. He didn't answer her, but it was no surprise to her either. He had been quiet for the last few days. She knew something was bothering him, but she couldn't get what it is out of him.

Peter sat on the bed. He knew he had a visitor before May told him. And he also knew exactly who it was. He was supposed to go to the lake house today, but for the third time in a row, he made an excuse to avoid Mr. Stark. It wasn't that he didn't like spending time with him. He just didn't feel wanted anymore.

The weekend after seeing Harley wasn't bad. In fact, Peter could forget that some Harley even existed. But with each new visit, he heard about him more and more often. _Harley did this and that. Harley started working on this project and I think it's brilliant. Harley will probably stop for Thanksgiving, I'm looking forward to seeing him._

And Peter tried to ignore it, but the last time he was at the lake, he spent part of the weekend with Morgan and Pepper alone. That was not a problem. The problem was that Mr. Stark went to visit Harley exactly on the day when Peter was supposed to be with him. And Peter couldn't do it anymore. He felt that he is not good enough for Mr. Stark.

"Underoos, can I come in?" Mr. Stark asked, but he didn't get an answer either. He didn't know what was going on with Peter, but May made it clear that they had to work it out. And before he could ask what she meant, she was gone.

"What? Harley didn't have time, so you went to see me?" Peter didn't forgive the biting remark as Tony walked in. He was so done. 

"What the heck?! What are you talking about kid?" 

"Nothing, forget it," he muttered.

"Yeah, I don't think so. Why would you say something like that?" he asked confused and sat down on the bed next to him.

"Because it's true. And I know I shouldn't be mad at you, but I am, okay? I was gone for five years and then I came back and you gave me a feeling that I am part of your family. And everything was almost perfect but then you introduced me to Harley and suddenly there was nothing else, just Harley. And it hurts. But I sort of get it, because I was gone and I was not supposed to be back," he spat it all at him. Once he started, he couldn't hold it in anymore.

"Oh, kid. You should have told me earlier. You need to listen to me, okay? I met Harley when he was a boy, about a year after we experienced the Battle of New York. He helped me a lot then. He was just a little kid, but he did so much for me. He didn't have it easy. Just like you didn't. We weren't in too much contact. Sometimes I sent him something he could work with, but we never met again. But then his mother and younger sister turned to dust, just like you, and he wrote me a message. He was desperate. I helped him. I wrote him a letter with a recommendation to MIT and tried to force him to move on. Harley was never you. He was a boy who had once helped me, so I tried to help him in return. But you - God, Peter, you are my kid. And sure, it wasn't like that from the beginning, but you are. You're the reason I decided to do something as crazy as time travel. I didn't do it for the greater good. I did all for you. Because I wanted you back. I wanted Morgan to know her brother. Harley helped me once again. Your feelings are valid, but they are totally wrong if you think that I replaced you with Harley. Do you understand, kid?" 

There was a moment of silence. Tony cursed himself for making Peter feel like replacing him. All he wanted was to have Peter back. And when he finally had him back, he screwed that up again. It probably wouldn't even be him if everything was fine. 

And Peter felt ashamed. His thoughts again made the worst conclusion. Sometimes he really hated them.

"Do you think it's too late for me to go to the lake house?" he asked quietly, but did not dare look at him.

"It's never too late. Besides, the girls missed you," Tony said with a small smile and patted him on the knee.

"I missed you all," he said, finally giving him a look.

"We too, kid, we too. Never do that again, okay? We love you," he reminded him and stood up.

"Thank you, Tony. For everything," Peter said and began packing for the weekend at the Starks.

**Author's Note:**

> Once again, English is not my native language, so I apologize for the mistakes.


End file.
